Statement of the Research Aims

Research of the unit consists in basic research encompassing vascular and respiratory responses to physical injury, inflammation (in particular sepsis), and organism or organ responses to the interventions and the agents used in Anesthesia, Emergency department, and in the ICU in the patient management, in particular in multiple organ failure.

The principal cell and organ systems investigated are:

Smooth muscle cell

Circulatory and respiratory system

The principal experimental methods used:

Intravital Microscopy (Microcirculation, in vivo)

Myography (Muscle contraction, in vitro)

Various methods for examining lung mechanics

A. Responses of the cardiovascular system, including local microcirculation, to inflammation and anaesthesia.

1. Modulation of bowel microcirculation in the septic rat model

The purpose of this study will be to examine, using intravital microscopy of the rat bowel microcirculation, vasodilator therapy, anti-inflammatory agents, and the effects of modulation of tyrosine kinase/phosphatise in septic conditions. These data also may explain the mechanism of the protective effect of some agents used in therapy of acute vascular pathologies, effects on the bowel anastomosis healing, and eventually contribution of specific peripheral vasodilatation to those beneficial effects.

Principal Faculty: PD Dr. med. habil. Dragan Pavlovic

Investigators: Daniel Sprecher, Stefan Lütche, Daniel Austen

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2. Mechanismes of endotoxine induced hyporreactivity of rat aorta

Peripheral circulation disturbance, vascular hyporeactivity, and tissue hypoperfusion plays a major role in the pathogenesis of ongoing sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). In animal models of sepsis induced by endotoxin it has been shown that various anti-inflammatory agents, or vasodilators could partially bring about normal reactivity of the arteries. To further investigate mechanisms involved in vascular motility in LPS induced endotoxemai in rat we will examine in vitro reactivity of aortic segments to various vasodilators, anti-inflammatory agents as well as modulation of tyrosine phosphorilation, which potentially could be relevant in therapy.

Principal Faculty: PD Dr. med. habil. Dragan Pavlovic

Investigator: Stefan Lütche

B. Responses of the respiratory system to inflammation and anaesthesia

Potassium channel activators hyperpolarise smooth muscle membrane and relax the smooth muscle. They are effective as vascular smooth muscle relaxant and have been extensively used as therapeutic agents for the treatment of hypertension. Nevertheless, there use as airway smooth muscle relaxation in bronchial hyperreactivity has been limited. They have been either without effect or less effective then yet available beta 2 agonists, or, sometimes accompanied by undesirable effects. In this study we will examine some yet not sufficiently explored potassium channel activators or Ca++ blockers.